Kaitaia boxer Mea Motu lands a powerful shot on Christchurch's Michaela Jenkins ahead of claiming the NZPBC super lightweight belt - Motu's second national title.
Kaitaia boxer Mea Motu lands a powerful shot on Christchurch's Michaela Jenkins ahead of claiming the NZPBC super lightweight belt - Motu's second national title.
Kaitaia boxer Mea "The Nightmea" Motu has won her second national title and is to challenge for an Australian national title as her quest for a world title shot continues.
Motu continued her rise up the boxing ranks over the weekend after capturing her second New Zealand title. The IsaacPeach-trained fighter earned a unanimous decision win over Christchurch's Michaela Jenkins on Saturday night at Auckland's ABA Stadium to claim the NZPBC super lightweight belt.
Motu will now face the undefeated Australian Rebecca Hawker for the WBC Australasian super bantamweight title, and a win in that fight will be a major step towards her achieving a shot at a world title in the future.
Motu, who is also the NZPBA lightweight champion, and Jenkins had previously fought in May, a bout that Motu also won via unanimous decision. However, Saturday's encounter proved to be a different affair to the first meeting, with both fighters acknowledging each other's strengths and doing their best to control the fight on their own terms.
Motu, fighting four divisions above her natural weight class of super bantamweight, looked to avoid being worn down in the clinch by Jenkins' superior height and weight advantage. At the same time, having previously sampled Motu's impressive punching power, Jenkins was careful not to be on the receiving end of any thundering shots in the opening exchanges from "The Nightmea".
The high-stakes battle played out over the full eight rounds, with Motu landing the cleaner and more-effective shots throughout the night, a fact recognised in the judges' result.
Kaitaia boxer Mea Motu was too strong for Christchurch's Michaela Jenkins when she won the NZPBC super lightweight belt on Saturday.
"I just wanted to change it up; that's what we were working on, using our angles because we knew she was going to keep charging,'' Motu said after the fight.
"So we wanted to change it up, and push back, change angle, and then slowly creep in. It shows that I have a different variety; I am not just one way. I can change it up, I can mix it up, and I am definitely tough, and I am definitely strong because I am fighting someone who is a lot bigger than me. I came in a lot smaller, so it was really good."
Motu, whose record now stands at 9-0 with four knockouts, was full of praise for Jenkins - a kickboxing and Muay Thai champion in her own right.
"I give her so much respect because she is tough, she can take a hit, and she just keeps coming even if it is hurting. She just keeps pushing through, and it was good. I enjoyed it, and she definitely brought what I expected, but I just got the better of her at the end."
The 31-year-old now has her sights set on a September 17 date with Hawker. The pair will compete in Auckland on the next Peach Boxing show for the vacant WBC Australasian female super bantamweight title.
"I am excited, that is definitely going to show where I am really at when I am fighting at my weight division because I haven't fought anyone in my weight division,'' Motu said.
"I am constantly fighting people bigger than me because there is just no one to fight [in her weight in NZ]. I can't be fussy because otherwise I won't fight, so I just take what I get, and now Isaac's found someone, and I just can't wait."
The WBC is one of the most respected sanctioning bodies in boxing, and September's winner will be one step closer to a world title fight.
After turning pro in only October, Motu is already establishing herself as one of New Zealand boxing's fastest-rising stars.
